With all the top teams crashing out early in the women’s doubles event at the WTA Mutua Madrid Open, the final will be a battle between two unseeded teams. Former world no. 1 Cara Black, who returned to the circuit last year after having a baby, combined with New Zealander Marina Erakovic to defeat local favourites Silvia Soler-Espinosa and Carla Suarez Navarro in straight sets 6-1, 6-3 yesterday.

They will meet the Czech-Russian duo of Lucie Safarova and Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova today. Safarova and Pavlyuchenkova defeated the French-Kazakh duo of Kristina Mladenovic and Galina Voskoboeva 6-7, 6-0, 10-7. Mladenovic lost for only the second time in her last 16 doubles matches on the tour.

Black is the most accomplished player of the four, having won 10 doubles grand slam titles in her career. Erakovic, who boasts seven career WTA doubles titles to her credit, has stated that she’s enjoying being the junior partner and just doing what she’s told on court.

Madrid Open DOUBLES — SEMIFINALS

C Black / M Erakovic (ZIM/NZL) d S Soler-Espinosa / C Suarez Navarro (ESP/ESP) | 6 - 1 | 6 - 3 |

A Pavlyuchenkova / L Safarova (RUS/CZE) d K Mladenovic / G Voskoboeva (FRA/KAZ) | 6 (5) - 7 | 6 - 0 | 10 – 7.